Saturday, June 13, 2015

Plan of Casa Mata

The
initial years of independence of Mexico saw chaos and turbulence. Emperor
Agustin I had been criticize for his excess, starting with his grand
coronation. His acts of subduing opposition and finally abolishing the Congress
led to the creation of yet another plan in Mexican history – the Plan of Casa
Mata.

Mexican
declared their independence from Spain on September 28, 1821. Crowds cheered in
the streets of Mexico City as Agustin de Iturbide and company formally declared
the birth of the Mexican Empire. In February 1822, a Congress convened to
decide who would be the Emperor as stated in the Plan of Iguala, the plan that
ended Spanish rule in the country. By May, the Congress had no choice but to
proclaim Agustin de Iturbide as the new Emperor and ruler of Mexico.

The
reign of Emperor Agustin I fell out of grace from the Mexicans months after his
coronation. Iturbide’s coronation in the
National Cathedral substantially cost a lot from the already dismal state
public coffers. Later on, questions of corruption and abuses of power by
Emperor Agustin I rattled across Mexico. His final fall from grace came on
October 1822, differences between the liberal dominated Congress and the
conservative Emperor Agustin became irreconcilable. Congress failed to write a
constitution, which Mexico needed, and set up a plan for the recovery of both
government finance and the economy that stood in a state of ruins after a
decade of fighting. In the eyes of Emperor Agustin, the Congress failed to live
up to their duties and responsibilities. Hence, he decide to dissolve the
Congress.

Reaction
from the dissolution of Congress led to another period of internal conflict for
Mexico. Liberals felt appalled by the act. They saw as the death of
representation and a start of an absolute monarchy. Many province felt their
interest had been attacked because they saw representation in the government
under the form of the Congress. Without the Congress, many provinces rose up in
rebellion. Once supporters of Iturbide, like Guadalupe Victoria and Vicente
Guerrero, voiced their opposition to Emperor Agustin. But the most prominent
rebellion came from the major Mexican port of Veracruz. On December 2, 1822,
General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna announced his opposition to the Emperor and
declared later that month the establishment of the Mexican Republic.

Antonio Lopez de Santa had been also a supporter of Iturbide in 1821. Born on February
21, 1794 in Jalapa, Veracruz, he came from a wealthy creole family. He served
in the army at a young age and saw military experience of the brutal repression
of rebels in Texas during the Mexican War of Independence. In 1821, with the
creation of the Plan of Iguala, Colonel Santa Anna supported the moderate plan
and joined Iturbide’s forces. When Mexico won its independence, Iturbide
promoted Santa Anna to the rank of General but cut short in giving him command
of Veracruz. Santa Anna remained in Veracruz protecting it from a small bastion
of Spanish remnant forces in San Juan Ulua. After the dissolution of the Congress,
Santa Anna, gifted of taking opportunities in movements during significant
shift of events, voiced concerns over the implications of the act. On November 1822, Emperor Agustin, using
reports of abuse and corruption by Santa Anna, ordered him to leave Veracruz
and proceed to Puebla. Santa Anna on the other hand, saw it as a prerogative to
dismissal or even arrest or assassination. Fearing of the consequences of going
to Puebla, on December 2, 1822, he decided to take another course, which was
rebellion.

The
Plan of Veracruz became the significant event during Santa Anna’s initial
rebellion. On December 6, Santa Anna along with another former supporter of
Emperor Agustin, Guadalupe Victoria, issued the Plan of Veracruz. In its long
articles, it called the reinstatement of the Congress.

Imperial
reaction came swift. By the middle of December, Imperial General Jose Antonio
Echavarri arrived in Veracruz to stop Santa Anna and Victoria. On December 21,
Santa Anna suffered a defeat in Jalapa. He then retreated back to the port of
Veracruz and prepared for an attack from Echavarri. On January 30, 1823,
imperial forces of Echavarri launched a massive assault to Veracruz under the
direct orders of Emperor Agustin. Santa Anna’s forces fought bravely and gallantly
and secured a victory to the rebels. In humiliation and in fear of execution
after his defeat, Echavarri decided to defect and negotiated with Santa Anna
and Victoria, which resulted to the Plan of Casa Mata.

The
Plan of Casa Mata laid out another moderate plan for the return of a Congress. Signed
by Santa Anna, Victoria, Echavarri and others on February 1, 1823, in its 11
articles it indicated:

1.
It being indisputable that sovereignty resides exclusively in the nation,
Congress shall be installed at the earliest possible moment.

2.
The convocation shall be made on the basis prescribed for the first ones.

3.
In view of the fact that among the deputies who formed the disbanded Congress,
there were some who because of their liberal ideas and firmness of character
won public appreciation, while others did not fulfill properly the confidence
placed in them, the provinces shall be free to reelect the former, and to
replace the latter with individuals more capable of the performance of their
arduous obligations.

4.
As soon as the representatives of the nation shall be united, they shall fix
their residence in the city or town that they think best in order to begin
their sessions.

5.
The bodies that compose this army, and those that may adhere to this plan in
the future shall swear to sustain at all costs the national representation and
all its fundamental decisions.

6.
The leaders, officers, and troops who are not willing to sacrifice themselves
for the good of the country shall be allowed to go where they wish.

7.
A committee shall be named to take copies of the plan to the capital of the
Empire to place them in the hands of His Majesty the Emperor.

8.
Another committee with a copy shall go to Veracruz to propose to the governor
and official bodies there what has been agreed by the army, to see if they will
adhere to it or not.

9.
Another to the chiefs of the bodies of this army which are besieging El Puente
and are in the cities.

10.
Until an answer is received from the Supreme Government concerning the
agreement by the army, the provincial deputation of this province shall be the
one to deliberate on administrative affairs, if the former resolution should
meet with its approval.

11.
The army shall never harm the person of the Emperor, since it considers that
his position shall be decided by the national representation. The former shall
station itself in the cities, or wherever circumstances demand, and shall not
be broken up on any pretext until the Sovereign Congress so disposes, since the
latter shall be sustained by the army in its deliberations.

The
plan called for a new Congress, composed of new members if necessary. Also, it
still showed reverence and respect towards the Emperor. It did not called for
his abdication or his death like most believed. Lastly, many Mexicans saw the Plan of Casa Mata promoting the idea of local autonomy as stated in Article 5. Many provinces sought to maintain and continue local autonomy, which the central government under Emperor Agustin tried to lessen.

The
effects of the Plan came swift. Many provinces supported it quickly because it
promoted giving power to local councils. In Mexico City, the Emperor did not
know how to react, whether to go against it or support, most especially it
maintained its honor. Nevertheless, seeing confusion he decided to abdicate of
March 19, 1823. Following his abdication, a Congress was set up and the
creation of a constitution began. In 1824 a constitution that embodied the
ideas of federalism had been promulgated. By then, many province had already
become virtually separate states of their own.

Benson,
Nettie Lee. "The Plan of Casa Mata." in The Hispanic American
Historical Review, Volume 25, Issue 1. February 1945.Russell,
Philip. The History of Mexico: From Pre-Conquest to Present. New York, New
York: Routledge, 2010.